Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy: Retailer Toolkit

Kara K. LubischerCommunity Development Specialist

Bob Ray and Karen CartyWashington Ave Post OwnersSt. Louis, Mo.

Linda S. RellergertNutrition and Health Education Specialist

Mary E. WissmannNutrition and Health Education Specialist

Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy is a comprehensive, community-based program that allows communities to improve access to healthy, affordable foods by working with a small food retailer. Millions of Americans have limited access to a supermarket, which means they must rely on fast-food restaurants, gas stations and corner stores to feed themselves and their families. People who have better access to supermarkets are more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables and less likely to be overweight or obese.

Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy toolkits and resources will guide any community through a unique approach to increasing access to healthy foods that addresses both supply and demand by engaging small food retailers and community members.

Food retailers of all sizes can play an important role in improving access to healthy foods in rural and urban communities. Regardless of the size of the store, a successful healthy corner store or grocery program address both the supply of healthy foods in the store and the demand for such foods among community residents. The Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy: Retailer Toolkit provides ideas on how the retailer and community partners can work together to increase customer demand and to increase the amount of healthy foods sold.

The retailer toolkit can help you as a small food retailer to:

Identify goals and strategies for increasing sales of healthy foods

Strategically price and display healthy foods

Promote and market healthy foods in your community

Attract and keep loyal customers

Build partnerships with community organizations that will support your efforts and promote your store

Retailers may already be doing many of the practices suggested, while some suggestions and techniques may be news. Use the “tools” available in the Retailer Toolkit that are most appropriate for your store’s capacity and customer base. To make this work easier, University of Missouri Extension created the companion Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy: Community Toolkit.